Kansas City + Lawrence Eats!

I really can't believe it has been two weeks since I posted! I would apologize, chalking it up to my laziness, but actually I have a legitimate reason! I am staying in Kansas City for a month-long internship at the Harvesters Food Bank, in the nutrition department...which is in combination with my other schoolwork, so I have been a busy bee with little time to cook or blog. Luckily, I have had a chill weekend so far, and now I can finally catch up! hooray!

This weekend I went to Lawrence, KS (where KU is) to visit my wonderful friend Anna. She showed me around, which means we went to all the good places to get vegan food! Lawrence is a really cool town, and there seems to be a lot of appreciation there for good food...that's how I judge a place, I guess! :)

For my first day, we went to lunch at the Nice Cafe, which is located downtown in a natural foods market called the Casbah. This is some of the best and cheapest food ever!! They specialize in homemade patties, which are another word for empandadas. They are really healthy, too, as they are baked instead of fried and made with whole wheat flour! YES!

I had the Jerk Tofu Patty and the Jamaican Slaw, both rocked my face clean off!! I got the sweet dipping sauce, and I was in heaven.The Jerk Tofu Patty, Jamaican Slaw, and Sweet Dipping Sauce

Crappy inside shot of the Jerk Tofu Patty...

And for dessert, I got a yummy cookie by Ancient Grains, a bakery in Lawrence! They make the best GF cookies I have ever had. I had the choc-choc chip for lunch and the even better oatmeal raisin variety for dinner.Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookie

Anna and her bf, Dan, got the Jamaican Rice and Peas with Jerk Tofu on top, and that sauce on top is the spicy dipping sauce...made with yams! whoa! This was also delicious.Jamaican Rice and Peas, with Jerk Tofu and Spicy Dipping Sauce

And here's the cuties, smooching at Nice Cafe.

For dinner, we hit up Local Burger. This place has every kind of burger you could imagine, all from local sources! They have an awesome vegan Veggie Burger, made with quinoa, so I knew I had to try it. I got it topped with avocado...duh...and got a side of their Progressive Potatoes (aka awesome fries). I was in greasy-vegan food-heaven!Veggie Burger with Avocado on Wheat Bun, with Progressive Potatoes

Then this morning for breakfast, we went to Wheatfields Bakery. This didn't have many vegan options, unfortunately, but they did have bagels...which I love! I got a BIG poppy seed bagel with a schmear of natural peanut butter, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Sometimes you have to get creative. Oh, and they had amazing coffee! score!

Poppy Seed Bagel with Peanut Butter, Honey, and Cinnamon

That was pretty much my weekend in Lawrence...and it was great! We even got to ride bikes and play outside yesterday because it was soooo beautiful! I am blessed.

Ok, now I will tell you about some of the good stuff I've been eating in Kansas City. Believe it or not, KC has its very own all-vegan restaurant, Cafe Seed. The owner/chef even used to work with Isa Moskowitz back when they both lived in Brooklyn! So, you know this lady can cook! One of my favorite things to do is to get breakfast here...especially because they have the best biscuits I've ever eaten. ever. But, last time we went there, they were all out!! NOO! So, we had to "settle" (haha) with other amazing stuff...Belgian Waffle with Fresh Fruit Topping and Veg Sausage Links

Pancakes with Fresh Fruit Topping and Veg Sausage with "Cheese"

My other favorite place to eat in KC is Eden Alley, which is all vegetarian and mostly vegan. It has been around for over 12 years, and it is so wonderful! I think this food could turn anyone to being an herbivore. I especially like their desserts...

Two Berry-More Cake with Fresh Berry Frosting

Raw Apple-Cinnamon Pie with Coconut Crust...Steven's fav.

KC also has some great coffee shops. One of my favorites is Broadway Cafe, which has great everything and even has some vegan sandwiches and pumpkin bread. wow. The other neat place is the Filling Station, which uses Broadway's coffee for their roaster. They make killer soy lattes...Soy Latte from The Filling Station

And lots of people who work there are vegan, so they have some vegan sandwiches/wraps and almost always have a vegan dessert, usually some kind of fruit pie. This particular day, they had a triple berry! More like triple awesome!

Triple Berry Pie

I have only been doing a little cooking since I have been so busy, but here's a recipe I have been working on: Apple-Sage Seitan Sausages...bursting with fresh sage and apples and spices and deliciousness. They aren't quite perfect yet, but they will get there soon! Apple Sage Sausages with Roasted Potatoes and Garlic Brussel SproutsThe inside of a beautiful sausage

And, yes, since I am staying in Kansas City for a bit, and I missing my Steven VERY MUCH! Here we are, being ridiculous and sweet at Cafe Seed.... awww. Last weekend I did get to see him for our one year anniversary, though. Pics to come on those meals!

Whew, that was a long post! I hope you're hungry now!

Crunk Testing and A Perfect Breakfast!

I have some amazing recipes for the Vegan Crunk cookbook, Cookin' Crunk, testing project to share with you! I must warn you, though...these look really tasty, so don't try to eat your computer! Just enjoy the pics and wait for the book to come out so you can enjoy them at home for reals! Tempeh Bacon,

getting ready for BLT deliciousness

Granny's Corn Casserole,

served with smoky baked tofu and greens

Now for a wonderful winter-time breakfast: Breakfast Apples and "Sausage." This dish is inspired by one of the menu items at my favorite breakfast place in Columbia, Cafe Berlin. It is a combination of veggie sausage (I used my vegan andouille sausage, because the cafe uses real, local andouille meat sausage, red onion, garlic, apples, spices, and maple syrup. Sooooo flippin good! It was pretty easy to recreate and I was so pleased with the sweet and savory combination of the dish!! Breakfast is served!

Breakfast Apples and "Sausage" (serves 2)

1 tsp olive oil (can also use vegan margarine if you are feeling adventurous)

1 cup red onion, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large organic apple, sliced thinly

1/4 cup REAL maple syrup

1 cup water

1 Tbs cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 vegan sausage links, sliced (or 1/2 block diced tempeh for a gluten-free meal)

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the sliced red onion and saute 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add in the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the sausage slices, apple slices, cinnamon, chili powder, and cayenne. Saute for 2-3 minutes until apple begins to soften. Add the maple syrup and water, then turn the heat up to medium-high. Bring to a light boil, then add the salt and pepper, cover and turn to low. Cook on low heat for 5 or so minutes, until the apples and onions are softened and the liquid is almost fully reduced. Remove from heat and serve!

--This is GREAT with a few slices of toast slathered with sweet potato butter or some raspberry jam!! And don't forget the coffee!--

Andouille "Sausages" and Texas Loot!

In yesterday's gumbo post, I promised I would give the recipe for the vegan andouille "sausages" today...and here it is! If you are familiar with creole- or cajun-styles of cooking (which are different btw!) then you probably know a bit about this type of sausage. It is both spicy and smoky, a good Southern combination that is hard to beat! This can be used in the gumbo I posted or in jambalaya, stew, or even on a bun with your favorite toppings! They use the super-popular steam-in-foil method, so most of you will be pros at putting these together! Enjoy!

Vegan Andouille Sausages (makes 4)
1 cup + 1 Tbs vital wheat gluten
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs soy flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs paprika
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 cup + 1 Tbs cold water

In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, including the garlic, and mix well. Add in the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful to not over mix. Heat a pot of water to boiling. While heating the water, cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil, each measuring about 10 by 10 inches. Place about ½ cup “sausage” dough, or about 1/4 of the dough, in the middle of a square of foil and form into a sausage-like shape. Roll the aluminum foil around the dough and twist the ends to close. This will create an aluminum casing for the sausages to be steamed in. Repeat until you have 4 sausages and have used all of the dough. Place the wrapped sausages in a steamer basket and set over the pot of boiling water. Steam for 35 minutes, covered. Remove from steamer basket and allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Now onto the goods that Steven brought me back from his Texas trip!! He was quite close to the Mexico border, so he had access to markets and shops that had lots of Mexican and Tex-Mex foods not available here in Missouri! The only thing not pictured is some homemade tortilla chips from a Mexican market and a HUGE papaya half...it was too big to fit in the picture I think! Clockwise, from the left: 2 Quinces, 2 Limes, 2 different kinds of Mole Sauce, a package of "Hot and Spicy" Pineapple Slices, 2 avocados, 2 different kinds of chili powder, 2 Kiwi, and 2 Tomatillos! How lucky am I??

Yumbo Gumbo!

I am really pumped because I have been wanting to make gumbo for a while...I heart okra...and I finally made it for dinner tonight! I wanted to wait until Steven got back from his climbing trip to Texas to make it for him, so I just got my chance tonight. I kinda winged this recipe based on what I've had before and what I knew about creole-style cooking. Luckily, it turned out great!! The andouille sausage to which I refer in the recipe is another work-in-progress that I finally got to turn out wonderfully--I will post that recipe tomorrow, as I don't want to make this too long of a post with the long gumbo recipe and all. So here it is! I hope you try AND like it!"Andouille" Okra Gumbo (serves 4 hungry vegans)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno, minced
1 lb okra, sliced
1 can yellow or white hominy, drained and rinsed (corn will work if you can’t find hominy)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 vegan Andouille sausages, sliced into thin rounds
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs Louisiana-style hot sauce (Frank’s, etc. But really, Frank's is the bomb!!!)
2 Tbs paprika
1 heaping Tbs gumbo filé powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or less if you want less heat)
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup vegetable broth or water

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pan. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until onions are softened and translucent. Add in the minced garlic and jalapeno, and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the broth, vinegar, hot sauce, and maple syrup to the vegetables and stir. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the sliced “sausages,” beans, hominy, and canned tomatoes. Stir in all of the spices and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to cook for 15 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent sticking. Add in the okra and cook for another 5 minutes, until the okra is fully cooked. Add extra salt and/or pepper to taste and serve immediately.
I recommend serving this hot with a thick slice of cornbread or over a bed of brown rice!

The cool thing about this recipe is that you can add your own twists and variations to it, and it will probably still turn out tasty! You can modify the cayenne and other peppers if you want more or less heat. I still threw a few dashes of hot sauce on mine once I plated it up, but that's because I like it pretty spicy. If you opt not to make the homemade andouille "sausages" (that I will post tomorrow), you can use any vegan link-style sausage, sliced seitan, or even cubed tempeh. But, seriously, you WILL want to make these fauxsages. For real.

Belated MoFos!!

I have been quite the lazy blogger for the past two days! My apologies...after I got back from my long week in Chicago, I was too lazy to cook (and I had no food in my fridge!), I was tired, and I really just wanted to hang out with Steven. Needless to say, I was less than motivated to cook or blog! I am now refreshed and ready to cook, though, starting with last night!
Yesterday was not only Halloween and the last day of Vegan MoFo, it was also me and Steven's nine month anniversary! yay! So, I had to make a really delicious dinner for us, and I wanted it to be something he loved a lot...but not more than me :)
I went with Homemade Bratwursts, inspired by Julie Hasson's recipe for Spicy Italian Sausages, served with Bubbie's Raw Sauerkraut on top, along with Braised Cabbage and Local Apples, and Rosemary-Roasted Sweet Potatoes. This meal was perfect! Warm and satisfying...perfect for a long night of Halloween fun! And there's even orange in the sweet potatoes! So clever.When I was in Chicago, I picked up something locally-made to make for Steven and myself, because I think it's really important to try local items wherever you go to appreciate the culture and tastes of the places you are visiting. When I saw this Upton's Naturals Chorizo-Style Seitan at Whole Foods, I knew that this is the item I had to bring home with me!! It seemed like a lot of the veg-friendly restaurants there in Chi-town had something featuring Seitan Chorizo on their menus, so I wanted to try using this tasty ingredient at home as well!

I wanted to use the chorizo in a Mexican/South American-inspired dish, so I made this:
Seitan Chorizo with onions, garlic, jalapenos, red peppers, hominy, greens, and avocado over quinoa....with lots of citrus, cumin, chipotle, and cayenne, this was really flavorful, and was a great way to celebrate the chorizo! I haven't had hominy in a long time, and I had forgotten how much I love it! yum!!

This precious little skull is made of chocolate (obviously) and was another cool thing I bought in Chicago! This was made by the gourmet chocolatier Vosges, who is famous for creating innovative and wonderful chocolate concoctions. This particular Hot Chile Chocolate Skull, in celebration of The Day of the Dead/Halloween, was made of solid dark chocolate, ancho chiles, chipotle chiles, cinnamon, and black sea salt...this skull was so warm and spicy and sweet and flavorful! This is probably the only time I will rave so much about eating a body part (unless they make more body parts out of chocolate)!

On some side notes:
Happy end of Vegan MoFo...I'm already looking forward to next year!
Happy belated Halloween
Please do whatever you can to support/volunteer for/encourage Barack and Joe over these next three days! We are so close...don't give up now, people!!

Vegan MoFo Day #21: I Love Apples!

I ate a lot of apples today, I must confess! After all, it is fall and apples are in season, and I still have dozens and dozens left from when we went apple-picking weeks ago! I am trying to use them up before they go bad, so I have been trying to feature them in many of my meals, desserts, and snacks.

For dinner, they were a sweet addition to my Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Onions. I paired those with Rosemary-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Homemade Bratwursts (which I based on Julie Hasson's Spicy Italian Sausage recipe)...loaded with organic sauerkraut, obviously!! This meal was perfect!!! It featured lots of wonderful, local fall produce, economical homemade sausages, and an homage to my love for all things German. I will definitely make this meal again soon! It's so colorful and pretty!!

Dessert also featured apples! I made Apple-Cherry cobbler bars, a modification of the Apple-Date Bars that I bake at work for Main Squeeze. These have lots of cinnamon, cardamom, maple syrup, and apples, so eating them makes you all warm and happy...especially when paired with a nice chai tea! And they are wheat-free, so those who are sensitive can enjoy them, too!!

Apple-Cherry Cobbler Bars

These make a great treat to eat while reading vegan mofo blogs!!

Breakfast was also amazing, but it did not involve apples. darn. But, I did make something new and wonderful: Vegan Bagels and Lox! A while ago, I was thinking about how to make this awesome breakfast item vegan-style. Then, lo and behold, I was flipping through cookbooks at the bookstore, and saw a recipe for vegan lox in Vegan Vittles. I didn't use that recipe, but I got the idea from that recipe to use roasted red peppers as the smoked "salmon." This was awesome to wake up to...you mofos should fo sho try this!

Vegan Bagels and Lox (serves 2)

2 sprouted grain bagels

4 Tbs Tofutti vegan cream "cheese"

2 roasted red peppers, sliced into strips

2 Tbs capers

1 tsp olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

pinch of salt

1 tsp kelp powder

1/4 cup hijiki

1 cup water

1 tsp dill weed or 2 Tbs fresh dill

To make the lox (do this the night before): Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, water, kelp, hijiki, and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Place the sliced red peppers in this marinade and refrigerate overnight. In the morning: split and toast the bagels. Spread each bagel half with 1 Tbs cream "cheese." Lay strips of marinated peppers on the bagels. Place capers over the peppers, and sprinkle each bagel half with dill. Serve immediately.

This is breakfast at its best!! (But it makes me miss New York so badly!)

Vegan Mofo #16: The Ultimate Autumn Breakfast

Hey there MoFo's! THIS is my idea of the ultimate autumn breakfast...well, I had it for dinner, but let's not get picky! Tonight, we feasted on apple-walnut pancakes (I used local apples, modified from this recipe), sweet potato hashbrowns, and Gimme Lean sausage links...all drizzled with a nice helping of organic maple syrup! It was wonderful to say the least!!

Oh, and don't you dare forget to go and vote on November 4th. Obama represent!!

Breakfast for Dinner!!

My favorite meal in the world has got to be breakfast for dinner!! It is genius, because breakfast food is the best kind of food and you get to make and eat it when you aren't all tired and cranky! Brilliant.
So for dinner tonight, I made Blueberry Pancakes, Gimme Lean Sausage, and Roasted Potatoes. Not the most veggie-filled meal, but it's still healthy :) I promise! For the sausage links, I just used the tube of sausage from Gimme Lean and formed it into links, then pan-seared them in a skillet. To make the roasted potatoes, I diced russet and sweet potatoes, then tossed them with oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme and roasted them for about 30-40 minutes. Super easy, but super tasty!! These pancakes are simply perfect: fluffy and light, yet hearty and not overly-sweet. Plus, they are all whole grain, so you can feel good about eating them for dinner! I used locally-grown organic blueberries in mine, so they were absolutely divine!

Blueberry Pancakes (serves 4)
1 T flaxseeds
1 1/2 cups rice milk, or milk replacer of your choice
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup corn flour
2 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup organic sugar
2 cups blueberries (if frozen, thaw first)

In a blender, blend all of the wet ingredients together until the flaxseeds are completely ground. In a large bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Gradually pour the wet mix into the dry mix and gently stir until just combined. Do not overmix!
Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. When skillet is nice and hot, measure 1/2 cup of batter and pour onto the skillet. Spread out the batter to make pancake about six inches in diameter. Drop 10 to 15 blueberries evenly on the pancake as it cooks. Let the cake cook for a few minutes, until it starts to bubble on the surface, then gently flip pancake over to cook the other side for a few more minutes. When browned on both sides and not doughy in the middle, transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Repeat the cooking process seven more times until all the batter is gone, making eight pancakes total. Serve warm topped with maple syrup and more blueberries. WWWOOOOOWWWW!

Here's a nice stack of nekkid blueberry pancakes, ready to be dressed with warm syrup!

For the grand occasion of the first presidential debates, I thought I should celebrate by baking a yummy dinner and eating some delicious baked goods! I made the Date Crumb Squares from the Candle Cafe Cookbook. Ever since I ate at the Candle Cafe when I visited New York in May, I often think about that restaurant and how amazing the food is! I finally broke down and ordered their cookbook online! Thank goodness I did, because there are so many great recipes in this, you should definitely check it out!! Anyway, these bars are really tasty! A new way to use dates is always good...underused for sure! The crust is sweet but not too much, and crumbly in a way reminiscent of a nice apple crumble. They are actually quite healthy, so make up a pot of hot tea...perhaps Earl Grey...and dig in!

Date Crumb Squares (makes 12)
1/2 cup dates

4 cups oat flour

4 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup safflower, or canola, oil

1 cup maple syrup

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

The day before making these bars, soak the dates in a cup of warm water to soften. Drain, put the dates in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, and walnuts and mix well. In a separate bowl, blend together the wet ingredients and salt. Combine the two mixes together and mix well. Press half of the mixture into a greased 12 by 6 pan. Spread the pureed dates over the dough, then top with the remaining half of the mixture and press down to make an even surface. Bake for 30 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Let cool, then cut into squares.

That's not all I baked this week....

I also baked a batch of lavender chocolate chip cookies!! God I love these cookies! They are even more perfect dipped in vanilla hemp milk!! This picture is Steve's hand doing just that! To make these beauties, make the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the Joy of Vegan Baking, and add 1 cup of dried lavender flowers to the batter when you add the chocolate chips. Holy crap! Whoever first thought of combining chocolate and lavender deserves a kiss on the mouth.

Egg McVegans and Jamaican Food

I have had more time and energy over the past week or two to cook...probably because I have been working less...so I have made some pretty tasty food! It's funny that when school started, I actually wanted to start cooking more! I guess I won't complain!

A few days ago, a few friends and I went to go see our future vice president, Joe Biden, speak here in Columbia. It was really awesome and a great chance to see some history happen...but we had to be there at 6:30 in the morning!! I am a morning person, but this was crazy! It was worth it though, because I made us Egg McVegans to eat while we waited in line in the cold... now I think I would get up early for anything, just to use an excuse to make these! I got the idea for making these from the recipe off of Broke Ass Vegan's blog (http://brokeassvegan.blogspot.com). It's not exactly the same, as I made a few modifications to how I like my breakfast sandwiches, but the idea is basically the same (I guess I should thank McDonald's, too...nah.) Egg McVegans:
1 package Sprouted Wheat English Muffins, toasted
6 Vegan Cheese Slices
1 log Gimme Lean Sausage
1 lb. block Extra Firm Tofu
6 tsp Veganaise

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 T olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Slice tofu into 6 equal slices and place in bowl. Let this marinate for about 20 minutes. Remove tofu and bake at 35o F for about 20 more minutes, flipping halfway through baking. While tofu bakes, form sausage into 6 patties and place in heated, greased skillet and cook til brown on both sides. To assemble the sandwiches, place vegan cheese slice on one side of split English muffin and a smearing of Vegenaise on the other side. Place in oven to get melty for a few minutes. Remove from oven, then place a slice of the tofu "egg" and a sausage patty on the cheesy side. Top with the mayo side and put in oven for 2 minutes to get everything all nice and happy together. Then enjoy with a big pot of piping hot coffee!! Makes 6.

Egg McVegans

Here we are (Me, Anna, Steve, and Danny) waiting in line to see Joe Biden...happy about coffee, food, friends, change, and love...

I have really been wanting to try some things on the Vegan's 100 list that I had not had before, so this week I decided to make fried plantains! Thank goodness for this list, because these were great! I went with a whole Jamaican theme for the dinner, and it was freaking delicious!!!

Jamaican Jerk Seitan

The Jamaican-inspired dinner consisted of: Jamaican Jerk Seitan, Coconut-Curry Quinoa, Fried Plantains with Agave, and Steamed Greens. Steve and I were both blown away at how good this simple and filling meal was! I made the Jerk Seitan recipe basically like I had before, based off the Jamaican Jerk Tempeh recipe from ivu.org. The greens were simply steamed and I dashed them with some hot sauce and nooch, for good measure. For the quinoa, I just made 1 cup of quinoa per the directions, and about 5 minutes before it was done, added 1/4 cup coconut milk and 1 Tbs curry powder. wow!! I didn't look up a recipe for the fried plantains, so I just made one up and it turned out perfectly! I think you should try it, too! Fried Plantains:I just heated up some canola oil in a skillet and placed the plantains (cut in half then sliced lengthwise) in the pan and sprinkled them with some salt and cayenne. After browning on both sides, I drizzled them with the agave nectar and served them hot. I could have eaten my weight in these things!!

Here's the whole thing all pretty and plated:

It's only halfway over, but this week has been great so far! :)

Weekend Goodies

For the first weekend after school started, what better way to celebrate and relax than enjoying some yummy food?! Last night, we had a pot luck and bonfire...perfect for commemorating the end of summer! Here are some of the things people brought (and almost everything was vegan! what good friends!):

A green bean and almond salad:

Fresh Watermelon...in lovely ball form:

Vegan Rice Krispie Treats:
And homemade sausages!! These were soooo awesome!!

Here is Sarah making up the brats...she based them on Julie Hasson's recipe, which is apparently super-easy! and tasty! Sarah is an awesome cook!!And here's the Picnic Potato Salad I made, with three different kinds of potatoes-purple, new, and sweet:

Picnic Potato Salad (makes about 4 qts.)

1 lb. new potatoes, diced

1/2 lb. purple Peruvian potatoes, diced

1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, diced

3 carrots, shredded

1 cup peas

1 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup Vegenaise

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp dill

In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes until just tender...but don't overcook! please!

Drain potatoes and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.

Combine all of the vegetables and cooled potatoes in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the lemon juice, mustard, veganaise, and spices. Pour dressing over potato-veggie mix and gently stir to coat everything evenly. Chill for 30 minutes or so before serving.

For the bonfire, Steve and I bought some Sweet & Sara marshmallows...in toasted coconut flavor! These made AMAZING s'mores!!! I am now obsessed.
For our Sunday morning breakfast tradition, a bunch of us met up at the awesome Cafe Berlin...seriously the best breakfast in town! There are tons of vegan options, they use local veggies, and the staff is wonderful. What's not to love??
I had the Mediterranean Breakfast--a favorite for sure!!
It's a big plate of tofu scrambled with scallions, parsley, and spinach...with a mound of their homemade hummus, homemade (delicious) pita bread, local cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives. This is worth getting up early for!

Have a good Labor Day! :)